Ignition means for gas-burners.



C. E. SMITH.

IGNITION MEANS FOR GAS BURNERS.

APPLICATION HLED APR. 30, 1914.

1 173,052. Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

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THE COLUMBIA PLAPIIOGRAPH cu, WASHINGTON, D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES ERNEST SMITH, OF VERNON, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO HAMILTON LANG, OF VERNON, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA.

IGNITION MEANS FOR GAS-BUBNERS.

Application filed April 30, 1914.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES ERNEST SMITH, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing at Vernon, British Columbia, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ignition Means for Gas-Burners, of which the following is a specification.

In. the present invention the object in view is to provide novel. means for igniting the gas lamps of a motor vehicle through the instruinentality of the high tension curent which is customarily delivered to the engine of said vehicle.

In carrying out the invention it is contemplated to employ a switch member intcrposed in the circuit conducting the current to the usual sparking element or plug of the engine, in combination with operating means normally maintaining the circuit complete to said plug and operable to momentarily direct the current to sparking electrodes at the gas lamps for igniting the gas.

A further object of the invention is to provide gas distributing means whereby to supply the lights and enable independent control thereover to permit them to be operated separately or in combination.

These and such other objects as may hereinafter appear are attained by the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference will now be made to the drawing forming a part of this specification wherein Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a motor vehicle to which my invention is applied, certain parts being shown in section, and Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic View showing more clearly the arrangement of electric circuits and gas distributing conduits.

Throughout the following detail description, and on the several figures of the drawings, similar parts are referred to by like reference characters.

Specifically describing the invention and referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates an internal combustion engine of the customary type disposed in proper relation to the dash 2 of a motor vehicle, and 3 designates the usual form of source of Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

Serial No. 835,578.

electric current or magneto designed to supply to the explosive engine an electric current for sparking purposes, passing through the conductors -11 to the spark plugs of each cylinder.

The numeral 5 designates a suitable form of gas container for supplying gas to the burners 6 of the lamps of the vehicle and the gas from the tank 5 is conducted to the for ard burners through the conduit 7 and to the burner of the rear lamp through the conduit 8, said conduits leading to a gas distributer 9 arranged at any convenient point on the vehicle, such as on the dashboard, readily accessible to the operator of the vehicle, to which distributer the gas from the tank 5 passes through the conduit 10. The distributer 9 is provided with the main valve 11 and independent auxiliary valves 12, 12'.

Arranged on the motor or at any other suitable point of the vehicle is a switch 13 which switch is interposed in one of the cir cuits leading to a cylinder of the engine 1 and also connected to this switch is a conductor 14 leading first to the burners of the front lamps and passing to the burner of the rear lamp from which it is grounded to the engine, all as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. At each of the burners, as shown most clearly in Fig. 1, is arranged a spark gap 15 by means of which gas issuing from said burners may be ignited when the current from the magneto 3 is directed through the conductor 4 with which the electrodes 15 are connected at one end to the switch 13.

At 16 is designated an operating member or rod which is connected at one end to the switch 13 while its other end is disposed at an accessible point such as on the dash 2 of the vehicle, for manipulation by the foot of the operator, said rod being suitably insulated to prevent likelihood of the operator sustaining a shock.

The use and operation of this invention will be clearly understood from the foregoing description and by reference to the drawing. \Vhen it is desired to ignite the gas at one or more of the burners the main valve 11 is opened so as to distribute the gas through the respective conduits to the lamps and the operator pushes forwardly the rod 16 so as to throw the switch 13 normally connecting at 17 and 18 so as to make contact with the terminal 19 of the conductor lat whereby the current momentarily passes to the electrodes at each of the lamps igniting the gas. Release of the operators foot causes the rod 16 to return to its former position under the actuation of a spring 20 to close the circuit again to the engine spark plug, and the breaking of the supply of current to such plug for ignition as described will not impair the running action of the motor to any appreciable extent. 7

As will be obvious, the burners may be operated independently by manipulation of the auxiliary valves 12 and 12 or they may be ignited in succession by the proper ad justment of the distributer valves in a manner well known to those skilled in the art to which this invention refers. Each of the burners is suitably supplied with a supporting bracket or clamping member 21 for holding the electrodes 15 in proper position at the burner and it will be obvious that changes may readily be made in the exact details of construction without departing.

frtm the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the claim hereto appended, such changes comprehending the provision of additional conduits for conducting gas to other lamps than those hereinbefore specified and which may be included in the gas circuit, each of the additional lamps bein of course, also included in the electric circuit.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

In igniting apparatus of the class described, the combination with engine cylinders adapted for use on an automobile, and an automobile dash adjacent the cylinders, the cylinders having spark plugs and electric circuits therefor, 01 an insulating block fixed adjacent one of the spark plugs, a switch pivotally connected at one end to the block and arranged in the circuit of the last named spark plug, an ignition circuit including a portion of the last named spark plug circuit and having the conductor connected with the insulating block adjacent the conductor of the last named spark plug circuit, the switch being adapted to be moved on its pivot for breaking the spark plug circuit and into contact with said conductor for making the ignition circuit, a rod pivoted to the switch at an intermediate point and extending through the dash, and elastic means pressing the rod in a direction for maintaining the switch on closed circuit in the last named spark plug circuit and for returning the switch thereto after being shifted to the ignition circuit closing position by longitudinal thrust of said red.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence 01. two witnesses.

CHAR-LES ERNEST SMITH. Witnesses:

HAMILTON LANG, ARTHUR SMITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

